Jets place franchise tag on LB David Harris

William Perlman/The Star-LedgerDavid Harris returns an interception in the Jets' win against New England in the divisional round of the playoffs.

Jets linebacker David Harris has been designated as the team's franchise player, according to his agent, Brian Mackler.

ESPN first reported that Harris has been tagged.

The Jets were expected to tag Harris, the remaining member of the team's young "Core Four," and had been leaning that way since last week. The value of the tag, which will be the average of the five highest-paid linebackers from the 2010 season, is expected to be slightly more than $10 million.

The use of the tag does not rule out a long-term deal for Harris, but it protects the Jets against losing their leading tackler. The team locked up CB Darrelle Revis, LT D'Brickashaw Ferguson and C Nick Mangold last summer, but has been hamstrung by the rules of the uncapped year in working out a fair deal for Harris.

Mackler said he has been in communication with general manager Mike Tannenbaum and the Jets about Harris for more than a year, but because of the rules in place, both sides understand a long-term deal cannot be worked out until a new collective bargaining agreement is reached.

A second-round pick in 2007, Harris earned a base salary of $550,000 in 2010, the final year of his rookie deal.

"The Jets did a smart thing by protecting David's rights," Mackler said. "Our goal from the times I've spoken to Mike and the Jets is to lock up David long term. We will do our best to get it done; that’s the goal for all of us. But without a new CBA, that’s impossible to do."

There is uncertainty over the use of the tag in the current labor landscape, though. The NFL said it advised teams that they could use the tag, but NFLPA executive director DeMaurice Smith has said the tags will be meaningless once the CBA expires on March 4.